A fabulous selection of Italian metal was on show for the Auto Italia show at Brooklands...

Enthusiasts of Italian cars enjoyed a fabulous day at Brooklands, with a near capacity crowd of thousands, and a spectacular display of road going, race and rally cars from Fiat Topolino to Ferrari F40. DK Engineering brought along a variety of cars that they care for, on behalf of discerning customers, including a wonderful 1957 Ferrari 250 Testarossa powered by a V12 engine that has been restored by for its American owner.

One of the rarest competition cars was Michael O’Shea’s Cooper-Maserati. Built over the winter of 1963/4 for Tommy Atkins, the car was raced by Roy Salvadori through the 1964 season, winning the Whitsun Trophy at Goodwood, and later picking up a 2nd and 3rd place. The car was retired at the end of the season and acquired by the Rosso Biancho Museum in Germany, from where Michael purchased it in 2006. The car sports a 5.0 liter Maserati Le Mans racing engine rated at 450bhp.

Abarth enthusiasts delighted in seeing with Tony Castle-Miller’s well documented 1966 Fiat Abarth TCR Factory Group 2 competition car and John Lloyd’s 1965 Abarth Simca that was the 1965 Swiss Hillclimb Championship winning car in the hands of Kunis, and powered by a 200bhp engine, with six-speed transmission and all round disc brakes. DTR Sports Cars brought along their 1957 Fiat Abarth 750 Corsa Mille Miglia.

It was built as a works lightweight race car and was entered in the ’57 Mille Miglia, crewed by Vittorio and Luciano Gianni where it finished 3rd in class and 77th overall. It was imported into the UK by concessionaire Anthony Crook, and its last owner kept the car from 1966-2005, after which DTR acquired the remains, largely in boxes and completed a full restoration.

Other cars of note, and there were many, included Max Wakefield’s recreation of a Ferrari P4 race car powered by a Formula 1 3.5-liter V12 engine,, built with the help of David Piper, a recreation of a 1961 Ferrari TR61, based upon a 330 chassis, an Alfa Romeo P3 race car, SCAT racer, Maserati 3500 GTL Sebring and 4000 Monza MB Special, and the first production Lamborghini Silhouette.